


the best revenge is living

by heartbeatstumbles



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood and Manga
Genre: Because Isn’t That The Nicest Thing?, Dialogue Heavy, Gen, Maes Hughes Lives, Overthrowing The Government As A Way To Cope, Revenge, power
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-23
Updated: 2020-03-23
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:07:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 710
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23272225
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heartbeatstumbles/pseuds/heartbeatstumbles
Summary: In one universe, Roy Mustang gets a call at East Area HQ on an outside line from Hughes and is greeted with silence. In another, Roy Mustang is transferred to Central Command earlier as Scar thins the ranks of State Alchemists in Central.Father’s plan wobbles, shifts, and is thrown off it’s axis entirely.
Relationships: Roy Mustang & Maes Hughes
Comments: 4
Kudos: 62
Collections: All The Nice Things Flash Exchange 2020





	the best revenge is living

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Big_bunbun](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Big_bunbun/gifts).



Maes Hughes wakes up to the smell of bleach in what vaguely looks like an abandoned house. 

A dozing Roy wakes up in time to answer the question rising in his throat. 

“Easy, Maes, we’re in Knox’s house.” Roy brings his fingers to his lips. “Try not to talk too loud, we’re hiding and it’s 3 in the morning. You were shot by a homunculus, and I had to burn the wound closed to stop the bleeding. You’re on a lot of morphine right now. Gracia and Elicia are fine.”

With that, Maes relaxes considerably. Those were most of his concerns. “What the fuck even happened? The shapeshifter had me, point-blank. I should be dead.”

“The secretary informed me that you came rushing out of the records room bleeding as I was getting ready to leave. I guess it’s a good thing she thinks we’re having an affair, because I almost didn’t get to you on time.” Roy closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. “Dammit, Maes. What the fuck did you find?”

“First, tell me why we’re in hiding.” Maes tries to shift to an upright position, but Roy gently pushes him back and  automatically shifts into report mode. 

“When I was running out to the telephone booth, Riza shot the shapeshifter’s arm, but it had already fired the shot. Luckily the aim was thrown off and you just got clipped in the arm. It gave me enough time to cauterize the wound get you to Fuery and he got you to Knox. However, the shapeshifter didn’t die, even after Riza shot it in the head.” 

Hughes interjects. “Wait. Did it have a tattoo? Gimme a pen.”

“Maes, you’re not supposed to—“

“Roy, I was shot in the left arm. I’m right-handed. You need this intel.” Hughes messily sketches an ouroboros. “These are the same people who attacked Ed in the labs, and there was one with it on her chest in the records room. I got her, though.”

Roy nods at the sketch. “The shapeshifter had this on its thigh, and the woman with it on her chest also had extendable knives for fingers. She also wouldn’t fucking die. I had to burn the shit out of both of them multiple times until they both stayed down. In place of their hearts were—“

“—Philosopher’s stones. Looks like your boy Elric was on to something. What I found in the record library was insane.” Hughes gestures for the pen and flips over the paper.“This is going to make me sound like a wild conspiracy theorist, but bear with me. They’re making some sort of transmutation circle with the nation. It matches the one Edward showed me in the hospital about the philosopher’s stones. Reole isn’t the end of these uprisings. Every single violent incident in the history of this country either resulted in an increase in territory to form a circle or one of the intersections.” Hughes rapidly scribbles a rough sketch of a circle with two pentagons inscribed. “I’ll show you more when we can get a map. I’m also going to need a map of Central. I’m 90% sure Bradley knows about this. He actually warned us against investigating this, but he might just be a puppet.”

Roy groans. “This is going to be a huge pain, isn’t it?”

Hughes shrugs.

”If you hadn’t cut me off, I would have informed you that we’re currently in Knox’s house because I’m the number one suspect in your murder case. Madame Christmas is handling messages with Fuery, but it’ll be a while before we can move.”

Maes sighs. “So I guess we’re faking my death?”

”Don’t worry. We’ll let Gracia know as soon as all of this dies down. But we’re going to get the bastards, whatever it takes.”

Hughes grins. “Well, it’s one step closer to Fuhrher. Who knows, maybe after all of this we could....capitalize on some power vacuums.”

Roy grins back. “Already working on it. Fullmetal and his brother are coming back from Dublin, and Armstrong’s already working on his sister. If we can get Briggs backing us with Grumman, we’ll be able to root them out completely.” He turns to Maes. “Will you have my back?”

”Do you even have to ask?”


End file.
